Being a good team member, a leader, and a manager is possible to develop an effective strategy of handling employees’ requests and planning working schedules for holidays. The first step is to analyze the situation without being emotional and to discuss possible alternatives with Karen, who works directly with employees as a shift supervisor. The second step is associated with the analysis of all the received requests and justifications or reasons. Each request needs to be assessed individually because there should a certain priority in scheduling days off and the holiday weekends.
Firstly, it is possible to determine employees whose days off are planned for the holiday weekends according to a regular schedule. Secondly, it is necessary to focus on the seniority status of employees, and they will be provided days off as experienced and committed workers. For those employees, who will be selected to work on the holiday weekends, it is necessary to organize a schedule with shorter working shifts. If the employees assigned for working on weekends have certain family commitments or require childcare, their schedule during these days should be discussed individually with the manager and shift supervisor.
Additionally, it is also useful to offer a bonus for working on holidays if it is not determined according to the company’s policy. Extra payments can serve as effective stimuli for employees working on weekends. Thus, the focus should be on addressing employees’ interests and expectations without compromising the needs of the business. Much attention should be paid to the open discussion of a schedule and the development of several alternatives among which employees can choose the variant that mostly satisfies their interests.